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Friday, April 10, 2009

Support makes institutes happen
I am writing to extend our thanks to Homer Foundation's Youth Advisory Committee and the benefactors of the Ashley J. Logan Fund for support of Project GRAD Kenai Peninsula's Summer Institute. This year's summer institute, "Inventing Your Future," will host over 40 students at the Kenai Peninsula College campus in Homer and at the Kasitsna Bay Laboratory across Kachemak Bay.

Fassler gets reader's support for HEA board
The HEA District 2 covers from Kasilof through Soldotna, Funny River, Ridgeway, to Sterling. This area was represented by Dave Carey before he was elected Borough Mayor a few months ago and resigned from the HEA Board of Directors.

Reader: Pendulum always swings back
We have just emerged from eight years of the dark ages. W. and the neocons had complete control of the government and direction of this country for the last eight years. They raped our military, bankrupted our economy, and destroyed any creditability we had with the rest of the world. They abandoned science, lined the pockets of their friends, and paid for it all with our grandchildren's inheritance. Like our current Alaskan administration, they handed out lucrative appointments as favors, without regard to qualifications, thus creating the perfect storm for government to fail; proving their point that government is not qualified to do the important jobs.

Carey chose wrong venue for budget remarks
Friday, the (Clarion, April 3) headline read "Carey outlines borough budget." As a resident of the peninsula I would expect the mayor to outline his budget. However for the mayor to choose to use KSRM's radio program "Sound Off" to outline his budget is disturbing at best. This is not about freedom of speech, this about using the appropriate avenue to highlight and discuss important issues. For the CEO of Central Peninsula Hospital Ryan Smith to hear of a proposed decrease in the mill rate and the Superintendent of Schools Dr. Peterson to find out about the mayor's recommendation of reduced funding to the cap on the program "Sound Off" is not acceptable. These are conversations that need to take place with all of the stakeholders and in an appropriate forum in a civilized manner. Yes, times are difficult for many. However, it would seem the mayor is taking drastic measures that could have devastating consequences for our schools and some of our public services. Please contact the mayor and the borough assembly members and express your opinion of his proposed budget cuts and decrease of funding for our schools in particular.

Auditor: Many would envy city fund balance
With an undesignated General Fund balance over $8 million, Soldotna would be the envy of many other cities in the words of the Mikunda, Cottrell and Company auditor reporting Wednesday on the city's finances.

Testimony offered on BOF candidate
More than two dozen area residents participated in a House Special Committee on Fisheries confirmation hearing on the appointment of Brent G. Johnson to the Board of Fish on Thursday.

Studded tire deadline looms
The Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities reminds motorists the studded tire season is about to end, and they should remove studded tires by the legal deadline.

Photo feature: Catching rays
Spruce cones bask in sunlight and warmer temperatures earlier this week. The Kenai Peninsula is gaining more than five minutes of daylight every day, which means the lingering snow on the ground won't be around too much longer.

William D. 'Bill' Rowe
Longtime Alaskan and Kenai resident William D. "Bill" Rowe died Sunday, April 5, 2009, at Heritage Place in Soldotna. He was 89.

Agencies doing well to prevent Drift River disaster
We'd like to thank the Unified Command, a joint orgnization made up of officials fromt he U.S. Coast Guard, the state Department of Environmental Conservation and Cook Inlet Pipeline Co., and scientists from the Alaska Volcano Observatory for their recent visit to Kenai to share information and field questions about the situation at the Drift River Terminal, an oil storage facility on the west side of Cook Inlet.

Palin makes poor pick
Governor Palin's recent nomination of Clam Gulch set-netter Brent Johnson to the Board of Fisheries was a bad idea. If the Legislature confirms this nomination, commercial fishing interests will again dominate the board, causing sport and personal-use fishermen no end of grief on salmon-fishing issues.